Podcast: Elizabeth Munsteen on Building the Ocean Hall

Credit:

Smithsonian NMNH

Building the Smithsonian's Sant Ocean Hall--like any major exhibition--was a major undertaking. Over the course of five years, it required hundreds of people with a vast array of skills and backgrounds. Many of these people worked on one aspect of the exhibit, such as the whale model, the fabrication, or the writing.

Elizabeth is a project manager in the Office of Exhibits at the museum and for the Ocean Hall. In this role, she managed the entire development and fabrication process, including all aspects of construction and a budget of nearly $30 million. In addition to coordinating schedules, logistics, contracts, and personnel, she supervised the contractors and was the person who formally accepted the final products on behalf of the museum.